accrue
(v) to grow or accumulate over time; to happen as a natural result. SYN: collect, accumulate, proceed from. ANT: dwindle, decrease, diminish, lessen
annotation
(n) a critical or explanatory note or comment, especially for a literary work
bedlam
(n) a state or scene of uproar and confusion. SYN: commotion, pandemonium, chaos, anarchy. ANT: peace and quiet, order, tranquility
covert
(adj) hidden, disguised, purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded; (n) a sheltered place, a hiding place. SYN: undercover, clandestine, sub-rosa. ANT: open, overt, undisguised
debonair
(adj) pleasant, courteous, lighthearted; smooth and polished in manner and appearance. SYN: carefree, jaunty, gracious, suave, urbane. ANT: distraught, agitated, boorish, churlish
dun
(v) To demand insistently, especially in payment of a debt; (n) A creditor; (adj.) Dark, dull, drab, dingy. SYN: hound, pester, harass, nag
efficacious
(adj) effective, producing results. SYN: effectual, efficient, potent, powerful. ANT: ineffective, worthless, useless
equanimity
(n) calmness, composure, refusal to panic. SYN: tranquility, imperturbability. ANT: excitability, flappability, agitation
fortuitous
(adj) accidental, occurring by a happy chance. SYN: unintentional, unplanned, random, lucky. ANT: intentional, deliberate, premeditated
gist
(n) the essential part, main point, or essence. SYN: substance, core, nucleus
gratuitous
(adj) freely given; not called for by circumstances, unwarranted. SYN: voluntary, unjustified, uncalled-for. ANT: justified, warranted
imperious
(adj) overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling. SYN: domineering, magisterial, urgent, imperative. ANT: fawning, obsequious, humble, unassuming
invective
(n) a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language; (adj) abusive, vituperative. SYN: vituperation, abuse, diatribe, philippic. ANT: tribute, panegyric, encomium
motley
(adj) showing great variety; composed of different elements or many colors; (n) a jester's costume; a jester. SYN: variegated, heterogeneous, diverse, fool. ANT: uniform, homogenous, monochromatic
munificent
(adj) extremely generous, lavish. SYN: bounteous, liberal. ANT: stingy, miserly, tightfisted, parsimonious
procrastinate
(v) to delay, put off until later. SYN: stall, temporize, dillydally
provocative
(adj) tending to produce a strong feeling or response; arousing desire or appetite; irritating, annoying. SYN: stimulating, arousing, vexing, galling. ANT: dull, insipid, bland, unstimulating
recondite
(adj) exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding. SYN: esoteric, arcane, profound, abstruse. ANT: simple, uncomplicated
reprobate
(n) a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person, scoundrel; (adj) wicked, corrupt, or unprincipled; (v) to disapprove of, condemn. SYN: scoundrel, blackguard, immoral, corrupt. ANT: saint, upright, virtuous, moral
sedentary
(adj) characterized by or calling for continued sitting; remaining in one place. SYN: seated, stationary, static. ANT: active, peripatetic, migratory
abstemious
(adj) moderate, sparing; characterized by abstinence and self-discipline. SYN: temperate, sober, moderate. ANT: indulgent, immoderate, intemperate
censurable
(adj) deserving of blame or correction. SYN: blameworthy, discreditable, reprehensible. ANT: commendable, laudable, meritorious
contingent
(adj) likely but not certain to happen, possible; dependent on uncertain events or conditions; happening by chance; (n) a representative group forming part of a larger body. SYN: conditional, dependent, a detachment. ANT: independent of, unconnected with,
corroborate
(v) to confirm, make more certain, bolster, substantiate, verify. ANT: refute, contradict, undermine, discredit
denizen
(n) an inhabitant, resident; one who frequents a place. SYN: resident, dweller, habitue. ANT: alien, outsider, stranger, foreigner
discursive
(adj) passing aimlessly from one place or subject to another, rambling, roving, nomadic. SYN: digressive, diffuse, wandering, episodic. ANT: short and to the point, succinct
disseminate
(v) to scatter or spread widely. SYN: disperse, publicize, broadcast, circulate. ANT: bring together, concentrate, muster, conceal, hide
dowdy
(adj) poorly dressed, shabby; lacking smartness and good taste. SYN: frumpy, tacky, frowsy, drab. ANT: chic, stylish, elegant, fashionable
florid
(adj) highly colored, reddish; excessively ornate, overdecorated, showy. SYN: flushed, ruddy, flowery, frilly, flamboyant. ANT: pale, ashen, pallid, sallow, austere, stark
foist
(v) to impose by fraud, to pass off as worth or genuine, to bring about by stealth, dishonesty, or coercion. SYN: pass off, palm off, fob off
gauche
(adj) awkward, lacking in social graces, tactless, clumsy. SYN: inept, uncouth, maladroit. ANT: adroit, tactful, diplomatic, politic
heresy
(n) an opinion different from accepted belief, the denial of an idea that is generally held sacred. SYN: unorthodox belief, heterodoxy. ANT: orthodoxy
inculcate
(v) to impress on the mind by repetition, teach persistently and earnestly. SYN: instill, implant, infuse, ingrain, imbue. ANT: efface, extirpate, root out
palpable
(adj) capable of being touched or felt, easily seen, heard, or recognized. SYN: tangible, plain, obvious, manifest. ANT: intangible, insubstantial, incorporeal
perceptive
(adj) having sympathetic insight or understanding, capable of keen appreciation. SYN: insightful, discerning, observant. ANT: dense, thick, obtuse, dim-witted
pernicious
(adj) extremely harmful, deadly, fatal. SYN: injurious, deleterious, baleful, noxious. ANT: harmless, innocuous, salutary, salubrious
salient
(adj) leaping, jumping, springing forth, prominent, standing out, conspicuous; (n) a land form that projects upwards or outwards. SYN: striking, notable, protrusive, obvious. ANT: inconspicuous, recessive
satiate
(v) to satisfy completely, fill to excess; (adj) full or satisfied. SYN: gratify, cloy, surfeit, gorge. ANT: starve, deprive entirely of
sear
(v) to make or become dry or withered, to char or scorch the surface of, to harden or make unfeeling
specious
(adj) deceptive, apparently good or valid but lacking real merit. SYN: deceptively, plausible, sophistic, casuistic. ANT: valid, sound, solid, genuine
absolve
(v) to clear from blame, responsibility, guilt. SYN: acquit, exonerate, vindicate, excuse, pardon. ANT: condemn, convict, incriminate, inculpate
caricature
(n) a representation in which the subject's characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated; (V) to present someone of something in a deliberately distorted way. SYN: cartoon, burlesque, parody, lampoon
clangor
(n) a loud ringing sound; (v) to make a loud, ringing noise. SYN: din, clamor, uproar. ANT: silence, stillness, peace and quiet
contiguous
(adj) side by side, touching, near, adjacent in time. SYN: adjoining, abutting, next door to. ANT: detached, apart, distant, remote
cupidity
(n) an eager desire for something, greed. SYN: avarice, rapacity, craving, lust. ANT: helpful, beneficial, harmless, innocuous
deleterious
(adj) harmful, injurious. SYN: detrimental, destructive, pernicious, damaging. ANT: helpful, beneficial, harmless, innocuous
enhance
(v) to raise to a higher degrees, to increase the value or desirability of. SYN: fascinate, enchant, attract, bewitch. ANT: bore to tears, repel, put someone off
enthrall
(v) to enslave, imprison, captivate, charm, hold spellbound. SYN: fascinate, enchant, attract, bewitch. ANT: bore to tears, repel, put someone off
extenuate
(v) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses. SYN: moderate, mitigate, diminish, downplay. ANT: intensify, aggravate, worsen, exacerbate
implicit
(adj) implied, understood though unexpressed, without doubts or reservations, potentially contained in. SYN: inferred, tacit, unspoken, unconditional. ANT: explicit, expressed, stated, revealed
incisive
(adj) sharp, keen, penetrating. SYN: acute, cutting, perceptive, trenchant
ostentatious
(adj) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display. SYN: flashy, overdone, affected, flamboyant. ANT: modest, plain, simple, demure, retiring
paragon
(n) a model of excellence or perfection. SYN: exemplar, ideal, paradigm, model, good example
paraphrase
(v) to restate in other words; (n) a statement that presents a given idea in a new language. SYN: reword, rephrase, a rendition, version. ANT: repeat verbatim, duplicate, quote
politic
(adj) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed, artful, expedient. SYN: tactful, diplomatic, judicious, circumspect. ANT: unwise, injudicious, imprudent, rash
prosaic
(adj) dull, ordinary, lacking in distinction or originality. SYN: commonplace, humdrum, literal, pedestrian. ANT: remarkable, distinctive, poetic, inspired
redundant
(adj) extra, excess, more than is needed, wordy or repetitive, profuse, lush. SYN:unnecessary, superfluous, verbose, prolix. ANT: succinct, terse, laconic, scarce, inadequate
sanctimonious
(adj) making a show of virtue or righteousness, hypocritically moralistic or pious. ANT: heartfelt, sincere, humble
scintillating
(adj) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant. SYN: stimulating, lively, glittering, flashing. ANT: dull, boring, insipid, flat, tame, vapid
winsome
(adj) charming, attractive, pleasing in a way suggesting childlike charm or innocence. SYN: winning, engaging, delightful, prepossessing. ANT: unattractive, unappealing, repulsive